“Today there are two great peoples on earth who, starting from different points, seem to advance toward the same goal: these are the Russians and the Anglo-Americans. 

Both grew up in obscurity; and while the attention of men was occupied elsewhere, they suddenly took their place in the first rank of nations, and the world learned of their birth and their greatness nearly at the same time. 

All other peoples seem to have almost reached the limits drawn by nature, and have nothing more to do except maintain themselves; but these two are growing. All the others have stopped or move ahead only with a thousand efforts; these two alone walk with an easy and rapid stride along a path whose limit cannot yet be seen. 

The American struggles against obstacles that nature opposes to him; the Russian is grappling with men. The one combats the wilderness and barbarism; the other, civilization clothed in all its arms. Consequently the conquests of the Americans are made with the farmer’s plow, those of the Russian with the soldier’s sword. 

To reach his goal the first relies on personal interest, and, without directing them, allows the strength and reason of individuals to operate. The second in a way concentrates all the power of society in one man. The one has as principal means of action liberty; the other, servitude.

Their point of departure is different, their paths are varied; nonetheless, each one of them seems called by a secret design of Providence to hold in its hands one day the destinies of half the world. “

–––Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America, 1835

“这个19世纪的预言让人联想起《老子》。This 1830s prophecy reminds me of what’s in the ‘Tao Te Ching’.”

“阴阳相生相克。The opposites mutually reinforce and counteract each other.”

“美的原则。Yes, and that’s an aesthetic principle.”

“还想画什么？”

“还想画庄子的混沌之死，画一喉两歌的半部红楼，还想……画一封给艺术的情书，就叫它 洛神赋……画苏轼的记梦，悼念文字里的华夏文明……” 

十七岁逃出国后，为摆脱疮痍，我不交同胞，不沾国语，无条件吞咽西方一切。然而却在古希腊哲学中回忆先秦诸子，在京都幻想宋唐，在欧洲现代主义美术里思念文人画，一边读尼采容格一边重拾老庄，穿过基弗的废墟遇见红楼梦……我的文明在我出生时已逝去，如今在异乡透过他人的语言追寻属于我的那关乎阴阳正反的美学……愿今生与前世能在支离破碎中重逢 (My civilisation and I, we crumbled apart…May we crumble into one again)。